In today’s unfortunate dog-eat-dog society, personal pride has become the centerpiece and driving force for accomplishment and ambition. When we consider all the signs and symptoms of the rise of narcissism today, it would be reasonable to discern that we have largely evolved into an egocentric nation. Our unfortunate focus has become “me, myself and I” and no longer “we, us and our.”

I was not yet born in 1961 when President John F. Kennedy said during his Jan. 20 inaugural address, “And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country.” But I still remember how his profound words of wisdom resonated with the masses for several decades later.

It was as though JFK was prophetically warning us of our pending self-centeredness. However, it appears that his message, which seemed to keep us on the right track for a long time, has somehow lost its poignant sting of truth — having fallen by the wayside of self-aggrandizing pride, and into a cultural abyss of egomania.

Unfortunately, we now live in a world where entitlement to achieve, indulge and enjoy personal greatness is the norm. Instead of possessing mindsets of patriotic altruism for our nation’s sake, we now have mindsets of individualistic and grandiose thinking focused strictly on self.

In fact, some of us actually expect the nation to provide, as an entitlement, an opportunity for us to become wealthy, famous and powerful, such as becoming the U.S. president.

Being elected as the commander-in-chief — the leader of the free world — is no longer a prestigious, yet humbling, honor bestowed by the people. It’s now somehow become viewed by at least some people as a personal entitlement.

The reality is we have a supposed self-made billionaire who’s a reality TV star, the spouse of a former president who’s a former U.S. senator, and a strangely popular self-proclaimed socialist who wants to be a modern-day Robin Hood by robbing the rich and giving it all to the poor, all apparently thinking and acting as though they’re entitled to be president.

Each one thinks they are better suited and better qualified than the others. Among them there is no humility visible at all. There’s only repugnant, self-aggrandizing pride and arrogance.

Their pride and lack of humility helped to create a three-ring circus of ongoing mudslinging, party infighting, frenzied media muckraking, racial and gender strife, and violence in the streets. In the midst of it all, I see all seven elements that God hates.

In Proverbs 6:16-19, it says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: (1) A proud look, (2) A lying tongue, (3) Hands that shed innocent blood, (4) A heart that devises wicked plans, (5) Feet that are swift in running to evil, (6) A false witness who speaks lies, (7) And one who sows discord among brethren.”

Wouldn’t it be magnificent to be able to consider voting for a candidate who truly knows and loves Almighty God, wants the best for our nation’s future well-being and is willing to set their selfish pride aside?